Refrigerator water fountain



H. H. BA HTML REFRIGERATOR WATER FOUNTAIN Filed May 3, 194$ INVENTORSAmman .1? any J RAE. R. JAMIE Patented Apr. 18, 1950 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATOR WATER FOUNTAIN Harald H. Band and Rae R.Band, Kew Gardens, N. Y.

Application May 3, 1948, Serial No. 24,895

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a water fountain for use with refrigerators.

It is an object of the present invention to pro-- vide a water fountainwhich is adapted to be mounted upon a door of a refrigerator on theinterior of the same and wherein the outlet for the fountain is extendedthrough the door and adapted to be operated so that insulation materialwill always lie within the space through which the water passage extendswhen the fountain is not being used whereby little cold loss resultsfrom the extension of the fountain outlet through the door.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a water fountainfor refrigerators which is adapted to be connected to a refrigeratordoor which is of simple construction, easy to operate, inexpensive tomanufacture, easily accessible to the person desiring the water, andefficient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of. the invention,reference may be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is alongitudinal sectional view taken through a refrigerator door and thefountain embodying the features of the present invention mounted on therear of the door and adapted to be extended in the refrigerator and withthe fountain returned to the refrigerator in such a manner as to placeinsulation within the opening through which the fountain is extended.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 but where the fountain hasbeen extended out of the refrigerator door for dispensing the liquidwithin the same.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of a door with a modified form ofwater outlet for the door and wherein the water outlet when not in usecan be insulated at the location of the water outlet opening.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view looking upon the face of the door andupon-the adjusting member and spigot.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary and enlarged sectional view taken through thevalve mechanism of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line of Fig. 1.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 7, l5 represents arefrigerator door which is z upon being closed by sealing material |I.Mount ed on the rear of the door is a bracket l8 adapted to receivetrunnions IQ of a fountain 2| adapted to contain water to be cooled.This fountain is open at the top and may be closed by a cover 22 whichis lifted when the fountain is to be filled with water. The fountain isformed of metal which will conduct the heat of the water to the coldexterior surface whereby the water will be chilled. The lower end of thefountain has a neck portion 23 which is adapted to extend outwardlythrough an opening 24 in the door. This neck opening 24 is adapted toreceive an insulating member 25 threaded upon the neck portion 23 in a.sleeve formation 26 especially provided for the same. The insulatingmember has a depending flange portion 21 beneath which fingers can beextended for the purpose of pulling the neck portion 23 outwardly in themanner as shown in Fig. 2 for the purpose of dispensing the water fromthe fountain. A spring 28 is secured to the inner wall of the door l5and the outward movement of the neck portion will be against the actionof this spring 28. When the insulating handle 25 has been released, thespring 28 will return the fountain 2| to the normal position upon thedoor, which is as shown in Fig. 1. When the fountain is in the positionshown in Fig. l, the insulating member 25 will be extended into theopening 24 whereby to prevent the extension of heat from the exterior ofthe door through the opening 24.

In the neck portion 23 is a rotary valve element 3| which is normallymaintained in a closed position by a spring 32. This rotary element 3|,has an opening 33 therein and a spout 34. A projection 35 extends fromthe rotary member and is adapted to be engaged by a raised portion 36 inthe opening 24 in the door. As shown in Fig. 6, the rotary valve 3| willbe extended downwardly to dispense the water through the spout 34. Whenthe neck portion of the fountain is returned, the spring 32 will causethe spout 34 to be elevated to the dotted line position, as shown inFig. 6, and so that the opening 33 will be closed by valve seat portion36 in the neck portion 23.

hinged to a refrigerator body It and is sealed A spring device 31maintains the rotary valve 3| on its seat opening.

The trunnions I9 are retained on the bracket l8 by a lift latch 39.Below the neck portion 23 and mounted on the rear of the door is abracket 4| adapted to receive a cup 42 for catching any drippings fromthe neck portion 23 when the same has been returned to the positionshown in Fig. 1. The opening 24 is providedin a sleeve portion 44 of thedoor casing.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, there is shown amodified form of the invention wherein insulation is placed in the wateroutlet opening in a different manner and by a rotation of a casing 46within a casing 41 mounted in the door casing. The casing 46 isconnected to the casing 41 by pivot pins 48 and 49. A slot Si isprovided in the casing 41 andin.

the casing of the door and from the casing 46 there is extended an arm52 which operates in the opening to rotate the casing 46 on the pins 48and 49.

Within the casing 46 is a water passage 54 which can be brought intoregistry with a water pipe 55 and a spigot 56 as when the arm 52 ismoved to the open position as shown in Fig. 5. When the casing 46 ismoved to the closed position, insulating material will be placed betweenthe pipe 55 and the spigot 56. Accordingly, there will be little coldloss as a result of providing a water outlet in the refrigerator door.

It will be apparent that there has been provided an arrangement of waterfountains for refrigerator doors wherein insulation can be placed withinthe opening through which the water is extended when the fountain is outof use.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shallbe understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope ofthe present invention as defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A water fountain arrangement for refrigerators comprising a containerportion adapted to contain the water, a neck portion extending from thelower end of the container portion, said neck portion adapted to beextended through an opening in a refrigerator wall, valve means carriedon the neck portion and operable automatically upon the extension of theneck portion through the casing wall, and handle means on the neckportion to effect the movement of the neck portion through an opening inthe refrigerator casing wall.

2. A water fountain arrangement for refrigerators comprising a containerportion adapted to contain the water, a neck-portion extending from thelower end of the container portion, said neck portion adapted to beextended through an opening in a refrigerator wall, valve means carriedon the neck portion and operable automatically upon the extension of theneck portion through the casing wall, and handle means on the neckportion to effect the movement of the neck portion through an opening inthe refrigerator casing wall, said container portion adapted to beconnected to the interior of the refrigerator for pivotal movement, anda spring return device adapted to extend between the refrigerator casingand the container portion whereby to automatically return the neckportion to its position within the refrigerator upon the handle meansbeing released.

3. A water fountain arrangement for refrigerators comprising a containerportion adapted to 4 Y contain the water, a neck portion extending thelower end of the container portion. said neck portion adapted to beextended through an opening in a refrigerator wall, valve means carriedon the neck portion and operable automatically upon the extension of theneck portion through the casing wall, and handle means on the neckportion to effect the movement of the neck por tion through an openingin the refrigerator casing wall, and said handle means being ofinsulating material and adapted to partly fill the opening in therefrigerator casing through which the neck portion is extended.

4. A water fountain arrangement for refrigerators comprising a containerportion adapted to contain the water, a neck portion extending from thelower end of the container portion, said neck portion adapted to beextended through an opening in a refrigerator wall, valve means carriedon the neck portion and operable automatically upon the extension of theneck portion through the casing wall, and handle means on the neckportion to effect the movement of the neck portion through an opening inthe refrigerator casing wall, said valve means comprising a rotary valvehaving ar opening therein, a spout extendin from the rotary valve, aprojection on the rotary valve adapted to be engaged by a portion of therefrigerator casing as the neck portion is withdrawn through the casingwhereby to tilt the spout downwardly for dispensing the water, and meansfor automatically returning the rotary valve to its normally closedposition and the neck portion is returned to the refrigerator.

5. In combination, an insulated casing, relatively movable inner andouter casings within the insulated casing containing insulatingmaterial, said inner and outer casings having water passages adapted tobe registered with one another when the inner casing is moved to oneposition and adapted to be placed out of registry when the inner casingis moved to another position and to cause the insulation to be disposedbetween the openings of the outer casing, and handle means extendingfrom the inner casing by which the same may be moved.

6. In combination, an insulated casing provided with an opening therein,a vessel adapted to contain water positioned in said casing, and wateroutlet means positioned in said opening in said insulated casing, saidwater outlet means being movable in one direction within said opening topermit the water to flow through said opening within said insulatedcasing, andmovable in the opposite direction to place insulationmaterial within the casing opening.

HARALD H. BAND. RAE R. BAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,890,461 Hamburg Dec. 13, 19322,078,097 Radzinsky Apr. 20, 193'!

